Brain imaging study Reveals distinct neural mechanisms underlying excessive smartphone use

Today, I am going to share some facts revealed by a study using functional magnetic resonant imaging (fMRI) comparing the brain activities of persons suffering from smartphone addiction with those who use their smartphones in a less intrusive way. The study regarding excessive smartphone use also reported systematic differences in brain activity during rest between the two groups.

Brain imaging study Uncovers details regarding excessive smartphone use

Reports claim that two fMRI indicators of neural activity were found to be related to psychological assessments of excessive smartphone use. We all know that a large number of studies in recent years emphasized the negative physical and psychosocial effects of excessive use of smartphones. It is most commonly known as “smartphone addiction”. Even though, studies have shown that excessive smartphone use has many things in common with other addictive disorders. These include:

• Fail to resist the use of the smartphone
• withdrawal from social relations
• continuation of use despite being aware of the negative consequences
• deception of others regarding the amount of time spent using it

In addition to that, excessive smartphone use is very similar to “internet gaming disorder (IGD)”, which is a well-recognized disorder included in the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual of Mental Disorders. It is actually the handbook of health practitioners in the US that is being used as a guide for diagnosing mental disorders.

The study authors Mike M. Schmitgen and Robert Christian Wolf of the Cognitive Neuropsychiatry working group at Heidelberg University stated:

“Because of its similarities to internet gaming disorder (IGD), there is an ongoing debate on if excessive smartphone use (ESU) is a facet of IGD or a distinct form of addictive behavior”

Studies have further shown that people with excessive smartphone use behaviors may exhibit structural and functional changes in their brains. For instance:

• reduced gray matter volume or intrinsic neural activity in the region of the brain called the anterior cingulate cortex
• altered functional connectivity
• changes in activity in various parts of the cortex during the processing of emotions.

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